Oye Owolewa, a Nigerian-American Democrat, has been re-elected as the shadow representative for Washington, D.C., marking his continued role as an advocate for the district’s push for statehood. Owolewa, who holds a PhD from Northeastern University in Boston, made history in 2020 as the first Nigerian-American elected to Congress.
In his recent re-election, Owolewa secured a significant 82.84 percent of the vote, with 164,026 ballots cast in his favor. Though shadow representatives do not hold voting power in Congress, they work to represent D.C.’s interests at the federal level, especially the ongoing effort to achieve full representation for the district.
Expressing gratitude to D.C. voters, Owolewa shared on social media, “Thank you, D.C., for giving me another opportunity to serve. I also want to thank the organizations that have supported, partnered with, and endorsed me.”
As a shadow representative, Owolewa’s role centers on state-level advocacy, aiming to secure a voice for D.C. residents who currently lack full congressional representation.
